Just got my harpoon from Englund's

My Limit · 04-12-2005, 09:02 PM

I just recieved my harpoon from Englund's within one day of placing the order. It cost $50. I'm wondering if any harpoon users have any advise. I already read some people saying I should put a bouy at the end of the line rather than hold on to it or tie it to the boat. That sounds like a Jaws movie. Is that really necessary? I can't imagine your standard 50-80 lb Halibut is going to break the cleats off my boat or pull me in.

Any tricks or techniques would be appreciated. I've seen guides use them in Alaska, but I have not had the honor yet.

Thanks

NorthRiverRick · 04-12-2005, 09:08 PM

You have no idea how powerful that 50-80lb halibut is until he comes to the end of your rope, tied to a cleat, at full speed going down...

Try it once!
OR
Go ahead and buy the bouy now!

Just my experience, but your mileage may vary.

My Limit · 04-12-2005, 09:13 PM

I've already got a smaller bouy that I think would work great. I'm just wondering how often you would use that technique. I just don't want that fish in the water and bleeding for too long. I don't want a shark to steal my meal.

Is there a general rule of thumb about how big the halibut should be before you deploy the buoy rather than just pull the fish in?

Bluefinn · 04-13-2005, 05:44 AM

It's not so much breaking a cleat off as it is pulling the poon tip out of the fish and loosing a dead fish.You will know if it is to big to just gaff.Keeep in mine when you poon the fish the angler needs to watch his drag if the fish runs just let him go float and all.The angler reels the fish back up to the boat and then you can retreive your float.Be careful not to poon the fishing line.Don't ask how I know this .Good luck

Bendman · 04-13-2005, 05:54 AM

How to harpoon post

My Limit · 04-13-2005, 07:06 AM

I read that harpooning post and everyone was refering to numbers. I take it these are areas or sectors on the fish. Where do I find out those numbers and how they relate to locations on a halibut?

My Limit · 04-13-2005, 07:08 AM

The buoy I was going to use is one of those small anchor balls. It's maybe 1' in diameter. Is this big enough or do I need a 50 gallon drum? : )

Ride Red · 04-13-2005, 07:16 AM

There's a picture of a halibut with numbers on it. It's in the first post at the top of the page. Kind of looks like this

Bendman · 04-13-2005, 07:23 AM

My limit, There should be a diagram of a halibut that pops up on the first post. It just popped up for me so check again and see if you can find the Hali. I have been pooning mine just on the edge of the gill plate in the middle. Sometimes I miss and hit a little behind but o well. Stuck two hundred pounders last year and didn�t have any problems both of them pretty much keeled over on contact. Now all I have to do is stop watching other people catch the big ones and get my own :grin:.

crabbait · 04-13-2005, 08:13 AM

Ensure that your harpoon is held 90 degrees to Mr. Halibut when 'pooning. I had one hext to the boat last year that was the largest I have ever seen with my own eyes. It would have hung off every edge of a picnic table.

My buddy harpooned it with a slight angle-back insted of straight up and down to the fish (laying on the surface). The harpoon penetrated the near gillplate end, evidently, was held upright by the far gill rakers (harpoon not flat on the off side). While I dropped slack and set the rod down, reaching for a gaff, he did something ove rthe side with the fish. Next thing I knew, he tossed my hook back on the deck, turned to me and said "ready?" (I was not) then pulled the harpoon stright back out of the fish.

Fish swam off under his own power with no blood so I am thinking he just got notched in the gillplate and survived.

If you catch a huge 'but with a hole in the darkside gillplate, I don't want to know about it!

Netscape · 04-13-2005, 08:39 AM

What works best for me is; I tie a 15-20' line to the harpon (to allow full access to either side of the boat) and secure it to a cleat. I put about a 3' loop near the boat end and string a tough bungee across the loop, like a tuna hand line. This way if you get a poor harpoon hit, it helps keep it from pulling out by absorbing the force of the run as your fish tries to escape. I don't use a bouy 'cause I don't like the idea of feeding JAWS :shocked:. I use 22 bird shot instead of a slug. It's safer and really scrambles the brain.

Double G · 04-13-2005, 09:06 AM

Quote:

I use 22 bird shot instead of a slug. It's safer and really scrambles the brain.

I like the idea of the bird shot. I've always been concerned about other boats in the area and ricochet off the water. I assume that the shooting is the last thing you do before hoisting over the side?

Gary
Double G

BUGLEMAN · 04-13-2005, 10:31 AM

0

My Limit · 04-13-2005, 01:07 PM

I like that bungie idea better than the bouy. I would hate to loose a big fish to a shark. I'd also hate to chase a fish around until it gets tired of dragging my bouy.

Anybody have any shark encounters while fishing halibut?

Pilar · 04-13-2005, 04:15 PM

Harpoons have been a good thing for me. I can't gaff a halibut to save my arse. There was a learning curve but IMHO harpoons work one hell of a lot better than gaffs.

I tried the tie it to the boat trick the first time and .. well let's just say that it did not work so good. Picture a junk yard dog on a chain. The tip snapped the cable and bu bye harpoon tip.

The next time I used the A-2 orange bouy and 25' of tuna cord. We did not throw the bouy over before stabbing the fish. Once stuck the fish went down and the line went over and so did all the crap that was mired in the line. That tip snapped off too.

Then we shortened the line to 10 feet and now throw the bouy in the water before the stab. Make sure your drag is not cranked tight and enjoy the show. This has worked every time since. An 80# FB can bury the bouy out of sight for 30 seconds or more faster than a crappie sucks down a bobber with a minnow under it.

It also is very helpful to rig your tip with the doubled wire tight on the shaft so it won't fall off and you can do the two handed stab that goes through the FB dang near every time. You can't do that when you waste one hand on holding the rope to keep the tip from falling off. Also drilling a small relief hole in the harpoon tip at the end of the blind hole for the shaft(1/16", thanks Popeye) keeps it from sealing itself to the shaft and not coming off when you want it to. Using two crimps just the right distance apart makes a hoop in the doubled wire that will stick to the shaft but slide right off when you pull the handle out.

Have fun. Every apex predator should have a spear and a club.

Bendman · 04-13-2005, 04:26 PM

Pilar Brought up a good point. When I hold the poon I put both hands on the handle with the lower hand I pull the rope tight and hold so the tip can�t fall off. Drive straight down on the fish with a follow through motion. Like your trying to drive a stake in the ground as far as you can. Like golf some people have a tendency to �stab� at it. Don�t worry about stabbing just drive it through.

fishwhenican · 04-13-2005, 07:11 PM

Ok I couldn't stand it anymore. I have to post a picture of my "harpoons". I use a 6-8ft shock cord and I tie it to a cleat. I generally stick them thru the gill plates or just behind the gills. I almost always stick them with one hand, I've even done it holding a rod with a fish on in the other hand. The model on the left has been upgraded to the model on the right (Santa was good to me, brought me that and an Avet reel). Not only can I "harpoon" halibut, but I can "catch" lingcod with it as well. In fact it works so good for lingcod it has never caught any rockfish at all! So it can be used to target lingcod in shallow water and halibut in deeper water.

Netscape · 04-15-2005, 10:23 AM

Gary - "before hoisting" you betcha...Don't want my foot under its head when I shoot it.

One additional note - the bird shot most often does not penetrate to the other side, at least in all my halibut (so far). They still live about an hour after the shot and seem to be paralyzed, making them bleed out very nicely in the fish box. I don't rely entirely on the harpoon to hoist them in, in case it's in a weak spot (like just the gill plates). Using a gaff on the tail end gives you two hoisting points to take the weight.

Flush Release · 04-15-2005, 03:36 PM

Quote:

You have no idea how powerful that 50-80lb halibut is until he comes to the end of your rope, tied to a cleat, at full speed going down...

Try it once!
OR
Go ahead and buy the bouy now!

Just my experience, but your mileage may vary.

AMEN too that

Had a 150lbs one on that taught me the lesson

blackmouth · 04-16-2005, 02:36 PM

Pilar

You are the man.

Respectfully.

Jack

My Limit · 04-16-2005, 08:23 PM

Thanks guys for all the advice! I'm rigging up my buoy! I feel a great urge to poon something!!

Angus · 04-16-2005, 10:00 PM

As a guide in Ak. for quite a few years now I can say that I have pooned my share of flatties, a few things I've learned over the years is,
1) NEVER under-estimate the power of a halibut, a 50 lbs butt can do some serious damage to people or equipment if given the opportunity too.
2) Leave the guns at home, I have not found a butt yet that I can't subdue with a harpoon a Louisville slugger and a good knife to bleed them with, I can tell you 4 "gun accident stories", none fatal but 2 were life changing.
3) Do not hold onto the rope, I also have an amputated finger story. make sure the rope doesn't get wrapped around anyones feet.
4) I have never lost a halibut to a shark, never heard of it happening and I've left them hang for a half hour to bleed out.
5) If it is much over 100lbs. consider releasing them, they are all females that lay in excess of 2 million eggs, are not nearly as good to eat, not to mention they have a high mercury content (not good for kids or expectant moms) if you truelly plan on eating it thats fine but I can't tell you how many clients have told me "yeah, we kept all the little ones and gave that big 1 to our friends", or threw it away to make room for this years catch!
OK, I'll get off my soap box now! Good fishing!

SouthCoastStu · 04-16-2005, 10:25 PM

When my buddy has pulling up a 45" last year a ~5' blue was making figure eights around it

. I was going to 'poon it (I still haven't broke in the new one yet :depressed: ), but decided to net it instead to get it in as quick as possible. The shark hit it lightly and left some marks, but no significant meat damage.

jcarufo · 04-17-2005, 12:01 AM

Use a triangle file to cut a groove in the rod your harpoon head slips on about 1/2" from the end deep enough for a small rubber o ring. Slide the head on and voila. You can hold the harpoon with two hands and let the rope dangle. The head releases without a problem once through the fish with a pull of the handle.
Jean